Imo ga ie ni sakitaru hana no ume no hana mi ni shi narinaba kamo kaku mo semu

妹が家に咲きたる花の梅の花
実にしなりなばかもかくもせむ

Roma-ji: Imo ga ie ni sakitaru hana no ume no hana mi ni shi narinaba kamo kaku mo semu
English Translation: At my darling's house
the flowers that have bloomed there,
the blossoms of plum—
once they have ripened to fruit,
then I will do all I can.
Meaning: The plum blossoms in bloom at my beloved's house—once they have turned to fruit, then I will do whatever must be done.
Commentary: Book Three Allegorical Poems 399

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Two poems on the plum by Fujiwara no Ason Yatsuka," with the note "Yatsuka's later name was Matate; he was the third son of Fusasaki"
This poem belongs to the section of Allegorical Poems in Book Three. This pairs with the preceding poem. When the plum blossoms at his beloved's house have turned to fruit, he will do whatever is needed, likening love's fulfillment to the plum's fruiting. Rephrasing "then we shall decide the thing" of the preceding poem as "then I will do all I can," it repeats the same conceit.
The poet, Fujiwara no Yatsuka, was the third son of Fujiwara no Fusasaki. He later changed his name to Matate, rose to Great Counselor, and died in Tenpyō Jingo 2 (766).

First line "At my darling's house" is the same as the preceding poem.
Second line "the flowers that have bloomed there" names the blossoms.
Third line "the blossoms of plum" takes up "flowers" and specifies them as plum.
Fourth line "once they have ripened to fruit": shi is emphatic and naba a perfective condition.
Fifth line "then I will do all I can" corresponds to the preceding poem's last line.
Author: Fujiwara no Yatsuka
Source: Manyoshu
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